Overview Comments – I think I became aware of Sadowsky Guitars sometime in the late 70’s/early 80’s when I first heard about their active bass circuit – An add on/modification for various classic bass guitars – But you know you are doing something right when your client list, for custom built models, includes Will Lee, Prince, Walter Becker, Marcus Miller, Paul Simon, Tal Wilkenfield, Pat Metheny and Lee Ritenour – I have to admit I did not know who Jimmy Bruno was – I do now – But was well aware of Jim Hall – So whilst it is a pleasure to be able to offer for sale, this used Sadowsky Jimmy Bruno Archtop, with a seinnaburst finish, from 2023, it is a pity to hear that Sadowsky decided to call it a day, in 2024, and no longer build any further archtop models – Granted, the archtop market place is very small, but when you play such an archtop as per this signature model, you can’t help having a great big smile on your face – Yet for me, it is equally frustrating, as you realise your own playing doesn’t do it justice – This Jimmy Bruno Signature model is a mighty fine guitar to play and should give years of pleasure to any prospective player/owner – To sum it up I’d say it is elegant in a simple classy way, whilst never trying to be extravagant
Further details with regards to this used/2023 Sadowsky Jimmy Bruno Archtop Signature model : –
Complete with the deluxe case and a host of tags/paperwork, polishing cloth Used model from 2023 – Last listed price was $6000 which would equate to well over £6000, especially when you add shipping and UK import duty/tax
Condition wise – Nigh on as new condition – You’d have to hunt long and hard to find any hint of previous use
Compact 15″ figured maple body – top/back/sides
Mahogany neck with ivory bound ebony fingerboard
Neck measures .808″ around the top nut end and fattens out to .956″ around the 12th fret – More of a medium/slim C profile – Certainly not skinny, so comfortable depth
24.75″ Gibson-esq scale length
12″ fingerboard radius
1 11/16″ traditional ‘Gibson-esq” nut width
15 fret body/neck join
No fingerboard inlays, but simple ‘dot inlays’ alongside the binding
Medium jumbo frets – fret ends over binding so no nibs
Ebony bridge (compensated), tailpiece, scratchplate, truss rod cover and tuning buttons ( Gotoh machine heads)
Re-strung and set-up with 12-52 gauge strings and an easy slinky-ish action
Custom wound PAF flavoured humbucker with simple vol + tone pot option
Click here to visit the appropriate page on the Sadowsky web site + click here to view the Sadowsky SS15 web site page and scan down to see a couple of video clips of this arch top in action – Not exactly the same guitar as the J Bruno model, but very similar
Feel/playability :- To me, the smaller 15″ compact body makes the Jimmy Bruno Guitar and easier package to handle – My main guitar is a PRS Hollowbody, which is a touch smaller than the Sadowsky, but both are more easy to handle compared to the traditional 16″ bodied models like the ES175 – Whilst I like to ‘dabble’ in the jazz field, I admit that I’m more of a blues based player who adds a few jazz touches to their playing, as against a pure jazz thoroughbred – As such I find the J Bruno Guitar very much in keeping with say a PRS and many modern built instruments, in that it is easy to handle – Even with 12-52 gauge strings – In short, it is enjoyable to play and not feel like a fight – Go back to the pre WW2 days of the arch top and 18″ bodied guitars were common – They needed the bigger bodied guitars to compete with the horn sections as amplification back then was only 5-10 watts – But as amps became more common and louder, the 16″ arch top became more popular , but traditional methods still reigned supreme and to me such guitars can still be tough to handle – Today, most players will play plugged in, certainly for live/studio work, as such you don’t need the larger bodied models – The J Bruno model has enough volume about it for home/sofa playing – Plug it into your amp and the volume + tone pots provide you with enough variation and control to supply you with plenty of ‘expression’ – Roll the vol pot down to around 6/7 and whilst it still retains the guitars true tonal character, it is a touch softer approach – As such, wind it back towards 10 if/when you require a touch more ‘boost’ – The tone pot allows you to roll off more highs for a darker voice, or leave it on 10 for more modern brighter licks etc – The hollowbody nature will always ensure that such a guitar will never work to well in a distorted amp setting, but for the cleaner sounds of say BB King and Pete Green, you can dabble in traditional blues, or dive into the 50’s styles of swing, rock n roll, jazz and jump jive – So overall a flexible package – As I mentioned above, ease of playability, in an elegant package makes the Jimmy Bruno Guitar a very desirable instrument – I just wished my playing matched the guitars potential
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Guitars4You is not another corporate high street guitar store - My selection of premium grade guitars is about quality not quantity. Every guitar has been selected, inspected and approved by me, with particular attention to the set-up and playing performance. Every sale, phone call, email and mail order transaction is handled by me. A journey that is now over 50 years old, has fuelled my knowledge, experience, love, devotion and passion for exceptionally fine guitars.